3mm shorty or full suit?

scubajenn81 · May 20, 2007

Hi,

I am planning on doing some divng in the Keys in early July and since I am a New England diver, I have a 7mm farmer john. What kind of wetsuit would you recommend I get to use in the more tropical water, 3mm shorty or long sleeve suit?

oly5050user · May 20, 2007

get a full suit..3mm if you do not cold easily..5mm if you do.Also get a 3mm vest with an attached hood for the longer/colder tropic dives.You can get a quality 3mm full suit for $95. or less at a lds(neosport //henderson).

ronbeau · May 20, 2007

scubajenn81:
Hi,

I am planning on doing some diving in the Keys in early July and since I am a New England diver, I have a 7mm farmer john. What kind of wetsuit would you recommend I get to use in the more tropical water, 3mm shorty or long sleeve suit?

I would recommend a full length suit in case you inadvertently brush up against fire coral, hydriods etc.

Wife wife and daughter used Bare Velocity full 3/2 mm jump suit in Curacao last year. I on the other hand used a full length Bare 1 mm neoprene dive skin.

I am also from New England.

The water in Curacao was usually between 80 - 82⁰ F.

I am not sure what the water temperature is in the Keys during July.

Regardless of thickness I would still recommend full length.

netmage · May 20, 2007

In July the water temp should be ~80's+...

I recommend a full suit (and gloves for wrecks), when I dove a shorty on wrecks - I'd always come up w/ a few scrapes, and inadvertant brushes w/ jellies on reef dives, etc...

I normally dive a 3mm, in mid/late summer I'll use a skin, and in the winter layer a 3mm FJ top or go dry.

If your one of those who gets cold easily I'd recommend a 3mm when others are using a skin.

-Tim

Speargirl · May 20, 2007

netmage:
In July the water temp should be ~80's+...

I recommend a full suit (and gloves for wrecks), when I dove a shorty on wrecks - I'd always come up w/ a few scrapes, and inadvertant brushes w/ jellies on reef dives, etc...

I normally dive a 3mm, in mid/late summer I'll use a skin, and in the winter layer a 3mm FJ top or go dry.

If your one of those who gets cold easily I'd recommend a 3mm when others are using a skin.

-Tim

I agree with Tim the water is warm here on reefs and a 3mm you will burn up but on a wreck I would use a 3mm if you get cold easy.

deepstops · May 20, 2007

A 5mm in the Keys in July is overkill, you'll be medium-well done before you make it off the boat.
Go with a 3mm full IMO. For $79, the Evo suit at World Watersports is a great deal.

Tom Winters · May 20, 2007

If you're diving in a wetsuit in new England, get a full 1mm suit for down here. They have ample thermal protection and keep ya from getting carved up if you bump into something.

dldiver · May 20, 2007

yeah - the only reason you'd need a full suit in the keys in july is for protection from brushing up against something.
i use an akona thremal skin for that...esp on the wrecks.

we dove all summer last year in the keys with just our bathing suits and a rash guard...and most of my friends wont dive in water cooler than 77 degrees as they consider that too cold

just to give you and idea.

MsParamedic · May 20, 2007

The water is already 81!

Pat

Oceanus · May 21, 2007

I agree the 5mm is overkill, but...

It depends more on bottom time (and maybe depth)... If you only gonna splash in for a couple dives you could do it without thermal protection (might want a skin for the jellies). If your gonna be diving all week then a 3mm might be more appropriate.

3mm shorty or full suit?

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